Automatic standing-valve tap



Jan. 28, 1930. c. D. RoBARTs AUTOMATIC STANDING VALVE TAP Filed Oct. 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Jan. 28, 1930. C, D, ROBAR'IK'S 1,744,921'

AUTOMATIC STANDING VALVE TAP 4 Filed Oct. 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Czar @s @garza By Attorney Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES CHARLES D. ROBARTS, F CISCO, TEXAS AUTOMATIC STAN DIN G-VALVE TAP Application filed VOctober 30, 1928. Serial No. 316,098. Y

rIhe present invention relates to improvements for removing standing valves from the working barrels of oil wells, and has for its principal object to provide a device that will expeditiously and eihciently remove a standing valve or drop Valve from the working barrel of an oil well Whenever the occasion arises. Y g

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide an automatic standing valve tap which includes a rotatable stem having a tap formed on its lower end, for

engagement with the standing valve that is to be removed, said stem being arrangedfor rotation within a barrel that has means carried by the upper end thereof for connection to a set of jars for lowering the device into the well, means being arranged within the barrel for cooperation within the stem to normally hold 'the' same against rotation, additional means being provided for automatically eectingthe rotation of the stem and the tap carried thereby when the locking means is released.

A further object is to provide a Valve tap of the above mentioned character wherein the parts are so constructedas to enable the same to be readily and easily assembled or disassembled, the device being further atvall times efficient and reliable in operation.

Still a further obj ect is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which isY Y simple in contruction, inexpensive, strong and durable, and further Well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

Other objects ofthe invention will become apparent as the nature of the `invention proceeds and when taken 1n connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the automatic standing valve tap embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view f Ithrough the barrel, the cap at the upper end thereof and the head secured on the lower end of the barrel, showing the means for locking the stem against rotation.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective vlew of the stem per se.

Figure 4 is an` enlarged detail for more clearly showing the locking means for the stem. Y

Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken approxi-V mately'on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, lookingv 55f upwardly, and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the coil spring for association with the rotatable stem. -k

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose 6'0 of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a cylindrical barrel that is internally threaded at its upper and lower ends.

A cap 3 isformed with a slightly reduced 653 externally threaded portion 4 on the bottoln thereof for threaded engagement within the upper end of the barrel 2. A somewhat greater reduced threaded neck 5 is formed on the top of the cap for connection with the 705i adjacent end yof the suspension means (not shown) that is used to lower and raise the device into the well. As is clearly shown in Figure 2, the cap is formed with a socket 6 i that extends upwardly from the bottom toa point below the neck portion 5 and the upper end of the socket is tapered as at 7 'f A head Sis externally threaded, at its upper end, for threaded engagement within the lower open end of the barrel 2 andV this 301) head is formed with a socket ,9, in the upper portion thereof, said head being further formed with a bore 10 that affords communication between the bottom of the socket and the bottom of said head. The head is further provided with a cavity 11, that extends downwardly from the bottom of the socket 9 to a point adjacent the bottom of the head, and extending through the bottom of this cavity is v a plunger rod 12, on the upper end of whichy I." Y'

is carried the latch 13 that is adapted to project into the bottomrof the socket for a pur-y pose to be presently described. 'v

An expansible coil spring 14 is arranged 95 within the cavity 11 and encircles the plunger rod 12, in the manner as clearly shown Ain* Figures. 2 and 4. A cotter pin lifextendgs through a transverse opening formed in the lower end of the plunger rod 12 for engagek100 ment in the bottom face of the head 8 to prevent displacement of the plunger rod.

Forming a salient part of the present invention is the elongated stem 15. This stem is formed at its lower extremity with the threaded standing valve engaging tap 17, the same being tapered. A reduced pin 18 eX- tends from the upper end of the stem and the upper end of the pin is tapered. This pin is adapted for vertical movement within the recess 6 formed in the cap An annular shoulder 19 is formed on the intermediate portion of the stem lo for disposition within the socket 9 and the bottom face of this shoulder is formed with the equidistantly spaced recesses Q for cooperation with the spring pressed latch 13 to prevent rotation of the stem 16. The portion ot the stem directly above the shoulder 19 is slight- In ly tapered as clearly illustratedin the drawings. Furthermore, this shoulder 19 is formed with an opening 2l for receiving the lower end of a coil spring 22, that forms 'an important part of the present invention. il This coil spring encircles the upper portion of the stem 16 within the barrel 2 and the upper end of the coil spring is disposed laterally for disposition in an opening provided therefor in the side of a barrel. In this man- 3' ner. the ends of the coil spring are secured to the barrel and shoulder of the stem respectively.

In use, the stem 16 isinitially forced upwardly in the barrel, so as to permit the *winding of the coil spring around the stem, and it is of course understood that the latch 18 is retracted from the recessed bottom face of the shoulder, in order to permit the free movement ofthe stem in one direction. After the spring has been properly wound, when the spring latch is released, said latch will automatically engage in' one ot the recesses 20 and secure the stem against further rotation of its own accord. The tool is then ready for use, and when lowered into the well and the tap 17 is engaged with the standing valve, by pushing downwardly on the set of jaws to which the tool is connected, the latch 13 may be disengaged from the recessed shoulder, whereupon the spring will automatically' turn the stein 1G and cause the tap 17 to be rigidly associated with the standing valve to provide a connection between the standing valve and the stein, whereupon this standing valve may be removed from the. well by pulling upwardly on the suspension means to which the threaded neck is attached.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided .an automatic standing valve tap which will at all times be eicientand reliable in its operation, and furthermore due to its simplicity, the parts 5 vcan be constructed at a very low cost and also assem'led or disassembled without any difiiculty.

lVhile I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a barrel, a longitudinally movable stem extending through the bottom of said barrel, a standing valve engaging and supporting tap formed on the lower end of the stem, a coil spring encircling the stem for disposition within the barrel, one end of the spring being secured to said stem, the other end being secured to the barrel, said spring being placed under tension when the stem is turned in one direction, and releasable means carried by the barrel for cooperation with the stem to hold the spring under tension and prevent rotation of the said stem, said releasable means including a latch carried by the bottom of the barrel, a shoulder formed on the stem for disposition above the latch, the bottom of the shoulder being formed with a recess to receive the latch.

Q. In a device for removing standing valves, a barrel open at its respective ends, a cap secured on the upper end of the barrel for attachment to a suspension means, a head detachably secured on the lower end of the barrel and provided with a socket in the top thereof, an elongated stem extending through the head and its socket, the upper end of the stem extending into the barrel, a standing valve engaging and attaching tap formed on the lower end ot' the stem, a normally expanded coil spring within the barrel encircling said stem, one end of the coil spring being secured to the barrel, the other end to said stem, and cooperating means between the head and the stem tor securing the stem against rotation and to maintain the coil spring under tension, said coil spring efecting the rotation of the stem when the locking means is released, said locking means comprising a spring pressed latch extending upwardly through the head into the socket'` a head formed on the stem for disposition within the socket, said shoulder being provided with recesses in the bottom face thereof for cooperation with the latch.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

CHARLES D. ROBARTS. 

